I think it’s safe to say that every human being longs for freedom — some probably more than others. For those of us over here in the West, we enjoy a lot of freedoms. And yet, we often let ourselves get into bondage. What do I mean? I guess I’m thinking mainly along the lines of mindset. We get “stuck” in certain ways of thinking, which leads to feeling stuck in certain behaviors… and we end up not feeling so “free”. So, what does it mean to “live free”? When you read my site’s tagline (Dream Big … Live Free), what comes to mind? Living free might look different to…

Remember playing “Hide-and-Go-Seek” as a kid? My favorite part was finding the best hiding place: As an introvert, it was even more fun, because it meant I got to be alone for a longer time before the “seeker” found me! Until recently, I didn’t realize it, but I’ve still been “hiding”. And, as an online entrepreneur, that’s not exactly the best practice… you actually want people to find you. Some of the ways I’ve been hiding include: not writing and publishing blog posts not following my friends’ posts on Facebook not commenting on others’ Facebook posts not promoting my services everywhere I can Part of the reason for all of…

I don’t look like a “health coach”… I barely act like a health coach (yet). So, why do I call myself a Health Coach? Isn’t that a bit hypocritical? These are the thoughts that run through my head. But, to answer all of the above… (1) I deeply care about the health & well-being of others, and want to help them (you!), learn what I have learned –and am still learning– about eating, exercise, and mental health (2) I am a Health Coach because I am actively working on improving my own health and well-being, while I work to “pay-it-forward” and help you to improve yours. The way I see…

Do you have an alter-ego — a vision in your mind of who you would like to become? Maybe you’ve made attempts to change and become that person by making lists of what you need to do to change into that version of yourself. But, what if there was a better way? What if, instead, you focused on the who, rather than the what? I came across this fantastic quote, yesterday: Powerful stuff. And, it ties right in with what James Clear says about identity-based habits. Nia, at SipBlack.net, also wrote about these identity-based habits. She says: “You need to become the kind of person who can reach those lofty…

From about 2002 to 2012, I was immersed in the book blogging world. It started with a Yahoo! group I’d joined, called “Book-a-Week”. Its participants aimed to read 52 books per year (a “book-a-week”). One of the Book-a-Week group’s rules was that you had to keep a record of the books you’d read. So, I’d started keeping a book journal then, but only a paper version. In 2005, I decided to start keeping an online –blog– version, as well. For the majority of my book blogging years, I was a stay-at-home-mom (SAHM). As such, I had plenty of time to read and blogging became my place to connect with other adults.…

I believe there is a serious hole in our Christian faith, today. Too many people become a “Christian” in order to avoid hell, or because someone convinced them that they needed to commit their life to Christ. However, these same people are then left without any idea of what they just got themselves into. What did you really just sign on for? Sure, these people can go to church (or a church group). They can learn the “lingo” and rituals. They can hear the Bible stories. And they can “mimic” what they see the more “seasoned” Christians doing. For many, this is what happens, and what they settle for.…

I’ve played the game. I’ve attempted to do all of the things that others say are “best practices” (do this, not that), and I’ve carefully organized my information, and only shown what (supposedly) needs to be shown. And I was miserable. I was dizzy from all of the conflicting advice. One site said to do it this way, while another said that that way is wrong, and I should do it the opposite way. No one could seem to agree. My gut led me here … to radical authenticity, regardless of what “they” say. People can always sense when you’re putting on a “mask”, or pretending, or trying to…

I finished reading “Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less” by Greg McKeown*, a bit ago (thanks to seeing that one of my favorite bloggers had it on her shelf), and I’m soooo glad I checked it out! It was exactly what I needed to read. However, the book has also sent me into a bit of a questioning place, as well — which, I suppose, is the point. The basic premise of the book is “Less, But Better“. Essentialism is not a finite action or a single decision to live with less. Becoming an Essentialist means embracing a lifestyle to always seek out what truly matters and let go of everything…

This was a re-read for me, but it’s one of my favorite books. And, since I was in a slump — and, since this book was calling to me, loudly, from my bookshelf — I had to give it another go. And, sure enough, it did the trick. I first read this book back in late 2010, and it really got me excited. I shared it with my sister, and she, too, got really excited about the book — after purchasing a copy and reading it. Margaret writes about people who fit the following profile: prefer variety over repetition illogical and seemingly chaotic don’t like to stick to schedules &…

This isn’t an easy post to write. I’m about to get super-real with you, peeps. But I feel that this is a really important conversation to have. So, let’s talk about… Depression. I have suffered from depression since I was a young girl. But it wasn’t until April 2013 that I finally started taking medication for it. The reasons for my delay were these: I had been misinformed / ignorant about the different types of depression that exist, and therefore didn’t feel that I was a candidate for medical help. I didn’t fit the description of someone with major depression — though, I did have some of the symptoms —…